China to stop exporting any potential bomb-making material to North Korea

The Chinese government has released a 236-page list of goods that are now banned for export to North Korea, a sign that Despot-in-Chief Kim Jong Un’s new missile tests have been poorly received. The list includes a number of ‘dual-use’ technologies which, although meant for civilian use, could be repurposed into military hardware. It also includes less innocuous exports like the Ebola virus. China is no longer allowed to export the Ebola virus to North Korea; great.China was quick to point out that, despite the new embargo-measures, the PRC and DPRK are still totally best friends, as Reuters reports

Hong Lei, a spokesman for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said publication of the list underscored China’s “strict attitude” in enforcing sanctions.“However we would like to point out that in the U.N. Security Council’s decision on North Korea, punishment is not the goal,” Hong told a news briefing. “It is to encourage denuclearization on the Korean peninsula.” […]Experts said the publication of the list did not necessarily mean that Beijing was adopting a tougher line against the North.“It’s important though that the list is not treated as (all)inclusive,” said Mark Fitzpatrick of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a London-based think tank.“North Korea’s banned nuclear and missile programs use many common commercial items that should not be transferred but which may not be on the list.”